Wisconsin Badgers 2023 Spring Position Preview: Inside Linebackers

As Luke Fickell's first season in Madison draws closer, the Badgers will hit the field for spring practice starting in late March.

Following its Pro Day on March 23, UW will run spring ball between March 25 and April 27 this year, according to a recent social media post. With a completely revamped coaching staff, a few key incoming transfers and brand new schematics, Wisconsin football will look plenty different in 2023. Spring ball will be the first glimpse at this new era.

BadgerBlitz.com is once again expected to watch any open practices available for reporters to attend. Saturday, we take a look at the inside linebackers, a room that is expected to return its entire group.

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A year after having to roll out four inexperienced players out at inside linebacker, the position group is expected to return its entire unit in 2023. With that, it should be one of the more exciting group to watch on the defensive side of the ball this spring.

There will be change at the top once again with a fourth new position coach in just over a year. The inside linebackers have went from Bob Bostad to Bill Sheridan to Mark D'Onofrio and now Mike Tressel.

What was once raw potential when it came to Maema Njongmeta and Jordan Turner has turned into a pair of budding playmakers at the position. Turner went from notching a pair of interceptions in 24 snaps played in 2021 to taking home defensive player of the game honors in Wisconsin's bowl game victory over Oklahoma State. After tallying just four tackles in six games played two seasons ago, Njongmeta compiled 95.0 tackles to lead the team and was behind Nick Herbig with 11.5 tackles for loss in 2022.

Behind the top duo, which is expected to open spring camp atop the depth chart, Jake Chaney and Tate Grass provide some experienced depth. Much like Turner and Njongmeta, the two got their first taste of consistent playing time this past season and flashed at times.

Chaney totaled 38.0 tackles, one sack and one interception. With Turner out, he recorded four quarterback hits, four tackles and interception. Grass saw his snap count jump from 63 to 141 and logged two starts this past season. With 33 under games under during four seasons in the program, Grass is also expected to be a key special teams contributor this year.

It will be interesting to find out where Bryan Sanborn, Spencer Lytle and Aidan Vaughan are in their development. Sanborn, entering his third year in the program, played on special teams for the most part this past season. Lytle, who has battled injuries during his time in Madison, is entering fifth year in the program and has always had an intriguing athletic profile at 6-foot-2, 234 pounds. Vaughan will be in his second year with the team.

Class of 2023 signee Tyler Jansey enrolled early in January.

With Wisconsin making the transition from a 3-4 look to a 3-3-5 scheme under Tressel, how much change will there be in Year 1? The Badgers are expected to roll out a hybrid of the two looks in 2023, but what that specifically looks like is still up in the air.

“We’re getting to figure out the way to mesh these together,” Tressel said. “My job is to not give you too much detail so people don’t know what to prepare for. But certainly the defense here is what we’ve been able to recruit great players to has proven phenomenal in the Big Ten Conference. We’re going to hold onto a lot of that.

"We’re also going to bring some of that as you call it 3-3-5, although I think it’s a unique 3-3-5 that might give some different looks to people that haven’t prepared for it.”

Chaney has a solid case to be the team's hardest hitter right alongside safety Kamo'i Latu. In any case, there is a real possibility the group of inside linebackers becomes a three-headed monster of sorts if Chaney can take a leap and rotate consistently with Turner and Njongmeta.

The former three-star recruit has seen the field his first two year gradually progressing from a role on special teams to a role on the defense. Becoming a stout pass rusher with 10 pressures this past season, what kind of growth can he show in the spring?

Sanborn will also be worth monitoring as well during the spring. Though he faces some tough competition on the depth chart, he could see a similar trajectory as Chaney after contributing on special teams in 2022. The redshirt sophomore saw time in three games - albeit just 18 snaps - and had consistently been the first linebacker behind the top four.

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